Director of Night Warehouse

About the Role

The Director of Night Warehouse Operations is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for all night-shift warehouse activities, ensuring a safety-first culture, operational excellence, and high performance across people, process, and technology. This role directs Warehouse Managers and on-floor associates (union and/or non-union) to deliver consistent outcomes in safety, service, cost, quality, and compliance. You will set short- and mid-term objectives for the department, contribute to long-term strategy, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that elevate productivity, accuracy, and customer satisfaction.

You will lead teams that operate in ambient, cooler, and freezer environments maintaining the integrity of food products, adhering to strict sanitation standards, and ensuring compliance with OSHA, HACCP, FSQA, and other regulatory requirements. As the senior night leader, you'll partner closely with VP Operations, Transportation, Sales, HR, and cross-functional stakeholders to uphold service levels, coach leaders, attract talent, and sustain a high-engagement culture.

Key Responsibilities

Safety & Compliance Leadership

• Champion a safety-first mindset and ensure the department meets all safety targets.
• Maintain and enforce safety procedures, training, audits, and reporting to ensure every associate remains injury-free.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, HACCP, FSQA, and company policies; maintain proper documentation and records for inspections and audits.
• Establish and oversee the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), ensuring night-shift adherence and corrective actions where needed.
• Monitor the physical condition of the warehouse and equipment, prioritizing preventive maintenance, safe operation of material handling equipment, and hazard mitigation.

Operational Excellence

• Own all night-shift warehouse operations including receiving, selection, slotting, staging, loading, will-call, inventory control, and dispatch alignment.
• Set, track, and achieve department targets across safety, service (OTIF/accuracy), quality, productivity (UPH/UPM), and cost.
• Plan and execute short- and mid-term department objectives; participate in strategic planning to shape mid- and long-term direction.
• Develop and implement production flow processes and SOPs to drive zero-error accuracy benchmarks and high customer satisfaction.
• Oversee technology implementations (e.g., WMS and inventory systems), ensuring effective adoption, training, and process integration.
• Monitor and analyze operational data (inventory losses, productivity KPIs, safety trends) to identify root causes and drive corrective actions.

Leadership & People Development

• Direct, coach, and develop Warehouse Managers through one-on-one mentorship, policy/procedure training, and leading by example.
• Guide performance management for on-floor associates (Loaders, Selectors, Receivers, Forklift Operators, Clerks), including feedback loops, performance plans, and recognition.
• Drive associate engagement and retention by building a culture anchored in company values, accountability, and teamwork.
• Partner with HR to proactively address attendance, performance, and conduct; contribute to succession planning and leadership bench strength.